Product Manager

Salzgitter Konzern•New Berlin, WI

14d

About The Position

The Product Manager serves as the internal expert on beverage manufacturing processes, including carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, water, juice, tea, dairy alternatives, alcoholic beverages, and emerging beverage categories. The role manages commercially competitive quotations for machine or conversion projects and supports the sales process with technical expertise. The Product Manager works across the sales lifecycle to develop complete process solutions, provide technical leadership, evaluate customer requirements, and advise customers on process design. The position may also manage retrofits, upgrades, conversions, and machine conversion projects, coordinating resources and supporting staff to fulfill orders and contract obligations through machine acceptance. The role collaborates with engineering, competency centers, sales, management, and other functional areas on product development and commercialization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field.
At least 2 years of technical experience in engineering or sales with process and filling equipment.
At least 3 years of experience developing quotations for complex capital equipment.
Ability to travel up to 30% of the time.
Equivalent combinations of experience and education will be considered.

Responsibilities

Review requests for quotes from Sales personnel or customers and evaluate customer needs using specification sheets, drawings, and application requirements.
Support and participate in the sales process, including sales calls, presentations, customer qualification, and providing technical information to sales personnel and management; visit customer sites when needed.
Provide technical leadership on beverage process technology, including blending systems, syrup rooms, ingredient handling, CIP systems, process controls, and integrated processing solutions.
Develop complete process solutions, including beverage blending, syrup preparation, ingredient handling, CIP systems, utilities integration, and process controls.
Specify appropriate machines, components, and technologies for customer applications; collaborate with departmental leaders and product specialists to prepare technically and financially accurate project estimates.
Build and share expertise on KHS product lines and maintain reference information, including technical updates from competence centers.
Sell and manage retrofits, upgrades, and conversions of capital equipment, including product expansion and development programs; manage orders and contract obligations with supporting staff through machine acceptance.
Plan, direct, and coordinate machine conversion projects when applicable, ensuring resources are available and project goals are accomplished on time and within budget.
Maintain margin and pricing indices and product information for sales personnel and management.
Work with engineering in Business Areas and Competency Centers on product line development and new product definitions, and collaborate with other functions on commercialization.
Track and analyze customer needs, proposals, and sales order activity for the product line.
Analyze the product market using market information, identify trends, and provide information for emerging product variations and new product definitions.
Validate process performance requirements, including throughput, recipe flexibility, product quality targets, sanitation requirements, and operational efficiency.
Establish and review process flow diagrams, functional descriptions, and utility requirements to ensure complete customer solutions.
Monitor industry trends related to ingredients, alternative sweeteners, sustainability initiatives, and evolving beverage formulations.
Advise customers on process design considerations affecting product quality, ingredient management, traceability, sanitation, and operating costs.